


Uncrowned: Rebel

by Lannakitty



Series: Defenders of Azeroth [1]
Category: World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft (Comics), World of Warcraft - Various Authors
Genre: All the stuff that happened offscreen between Cataclysm and Legion, Alternate Canon, Character Development, Gen, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 13:12:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12081732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lannakitty/pseuds/Lannakitty
Summary: Gilneas was never supposed to fall. Prince Liam Greymane was never supposed to die. Princess Tess Greymane was never supposed to be queen. But it did, he did and she will be. The foundations of Tess Greymane's world have shifted far beyond even what Deathwing accomplished. Where will she go from here?





	Uncrowned: Rebel

**Author's Note:**

> When we are first introduced to Tess Greymane she's a fairly typical fantasy princess; sweet, kind and, true to the genre, not much more than backdrop and flavor. When we see her next, she's an accomplished rogue and a leading member of the Uncrowned. How did the princess in exile come to join "the slayers of kings, the downfall of empires, the unseen blades that write the true history of this world."
> 
> This is the journey from point A to B. 
> 
> Because she needs more love. Pardon the dust as I find the voice in this. The intent is to tell this cycle in three parts corresponding to the expansions. This work will belong to my larger AU but it is a stand alone and does not require any special knowledge. It is mostly Canon Compliant at this time. I resisted delving into this for a long time, but in going over my other notes I was reminded by how much I really liked the story I'd thought u. it's also another space for me to play with that will hopefully take some of the pressure I put on myself on the other works. My hope is for this to remain succinct and not sprawl into multiple hundreds of thousands of words.
> 
> Right! Thank you to JThorsten who has heard a lot of this babble. Thanks also to Rhadgar-Khadgar who's also suffered a lot of babbling ^^;

For a moment she was back in the manor in Gilneas. 

Her kingdom was happy and prosperous, her father and mother well, her brother alive. For a moment Tess' largest worry was if Bernard's mother's failing health would push their wedding early. For a moment, Tess forgot.

The ceiling was unfamiliar as were the bed, the call of the birds outside and the smells from the window. Tess remembered.

She was in Darnassus. Her home was overrun. Her brother was dead as was her intended, Bernard, his family and so many other good men and women. She had nearly died on the crossing from Gilneas when the storm had destroyed the ship she and her mother were on. But she was a Gilnean and she would endure. She could keep calm and carry on, because it was what one did.

Tess pushed aside the covers and dressed for the day. The dress she'd escaped in had been cleaned and mended but was impractical to wear here. It hung in her closet. Tess wore soft leather breeches and a plain but workable tunic shirt. The Night Elves had been very kind to the refugees, giving them food, shelter and clothing. Tess brushed her hair, braided it back and curled it up around the crown of her head to keep it out of her way, then she went down to breakfast.

Her father was already gone but her mother was in the kitchen. Her mother's leg had been mended thanks to the powerful healing of the druids, but she still favored it as she moved around the small home the Greymane's had been loaned by the Night Elves. One of their much reduced staff helped the queen, but Mia had been much loved by the kitchen staff and allowed to not only enter their domain but assist on occasion. In Darnassus she was becoming largely responsible with ensuring that everyone was fed, working through the proxy of her small remaining staff and Night Elf assistance.

"Are you should be up?" she asked her mother. Every day her mother's leg healed more but Tess didn't want her to injure herself again.

Mia Greymane smiled at her daughter and set a hand on her hip. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I wasn't the one with the broken leg," Tess said. She picked up one of the sweet, fruit filled pastries she'd come to enjoy in her short time here in Darnassus. The fruit was one that didn't grow where she'd grown up.

"I am well enough to attend to household matters," Mia Greymane said as she returned to the cup of tea she'd been preparing. She poured two cups and brought them to the table, setting one before her daughter. Tess smiled thanks and sipped the tea.

"Besides," the queen said, "I am going over the ledgers and reviewing supplies with that nice young man they have helping us as quartermaster. I'll hardly be up and about." She tapped a thick stack of books on the side of the table and sighed. "It's not much but it is what I can do for everyone."

Tess smirked a little. The 'nice young man' was a night elf who'd probably seen a thousand years already. "I'm glad you're going easy on yourself. We all need you well," Tess said, setting her cup down so she could hug her mother. "I'm going out to see what I can do. The healers had me sorting herbs yesterday."

"Good girl." Mia cupped the side of her face and smiled, the expression slightly sad. "Be safe. I will see you for dinner."

Tess nodded, leaned down to kiss her mother on the cheek then left.

 _"Be safe."_

Once the words had been something her mother had said only when the rare occasion called for it. They were said daily now, and meant every time. Tess left their small home at a brisk walk.

Darnassus was strange but lovely. The trees had colors she was not used to seeing and were far larger than she had believed trees could grow. Here in this pocket of stillness, it was easy to believe that the rest of the world hadn't been ripped and torn asunder. But she'd seen the pictures shown to her father by the high priestess Tyrande Whisperwind and her husband the archdruid Malfurion Stormrage. Broken lands, new volcanos, the sea flooding where there had been desert only before, the destruction of villages, towns and even cities. Part of Stormwind had been ruined by Deathwing and had crumbled into the sea. The entire world was in chaos.

In some ways that made her feel a bit better. Everyone knew the pain of loss. Everyone was reaching out to help one another. Even her father! And yet _her_ losses sometimes felt lost in the shuffle of so much upheaval. Then again, she reflected, that was probably how everyone felt. She lightly stepped up the shady path, trying hard not to make a sound a disturb anyone.

As she had been doing since she'd been allowed out of bed by her overprotective father, Tess found herself with the druids. Druidism had been mostly dismissed outwardly as a peasant movement of little consequence in Gilneas; accepted privately as a source of healing power, but not given much thought or respect when compared to the works of the Priests of the Light or Gilnean alchemists. Here in Darnassus the refugees who had been practicing on their own found eager teachers. In this at least her people were flourishing despite the destruction. Tess found small comfort in that fact.

And then there were the worgen; men and women forever changed by the spirit of the wolf. One transformed guard noted her and inclined his head a bit, tilting it to the side slightly. She smiled and patted him on the shoulder as she went her way to where potions were brewing. Many of the new druids were worgen which, Tess supposed, was somewhat fitting as the worgen curse was the result of druid magics gone awry. Or perhaps it wasn't a curse; just a very difficult challenge. As much as there had been trouble caused by the worgen in her land, the return of sanity, and humanity, to the afflicted had allowed their more bestial natures to become a strength in a dark time. The power of the Worgen might convince the Alliance to reaccept Gilneas back into the fold.

Some of the Night Elves gave the worgen wide berth, either afraid or ashamed of their own failure in druidic magics. Tess was not afraid of them. Her father was one and had been for some time. Because he was one he had been able to save Tess and Mia when their ship was sinking. He had been able to act when Tess had been all but useless.

"Your Highness," a warm voice greeted her. Celestine of the Harvest had been one of the druidic practitioners, one of the best regarded, but had fallen to the Worgen affliction like so many of her people. And, like so many, she'd regained her humanity and sanity thanks to the Night Elves.

"I've told you to call me Tess," the princess said as she picked up a working apron from a hook by the door. "What can I do to help?" she asked as she tied the strings back.

The worgen druid smiled, a quick flash of sharp teeth. "As you say, miss." She winked and gestured towards the piles of herbs and the steaming cauldrons. "If you have some time, I've been working on some restorative potions. Our hosts used much of their supplies in aiding us."

"Only right we help them bring their stocks back up," Tess said as she pulled down the peacebloom bundles from where they hung and began to separate the flowers from the stems. "How are things in the hospital area? Are their healers and ours getting on well?" Tess asked.

She'd done well in her alchemy studies and in the time they'd been here in Darnassus, she'd refreshed her skills in the area. She couldn't fight worth a damn because she'd never been given any bloody instruction beyond some very basic personal self defense, but Tess could follow instructions and brew potions.

"All our injured are stable and on the mend," Celestine said as she moved to cut the earthroot with swift motions even though she'd chosen to wear the more lupine form. It was fascinating how easily they all moved even though they looked so different. 

"Even the sailors who lost limbs in the storm?"

"Even them," Celestine said. "It will be a long road of recovery for them but they will live."

"Good," Tess said. "Anything you might have heard I should bring to my father's attention?" she asked as she worked. Celestine had access to conversations and complaints which would never be uttered before the princess of Gilneas.

"The mood is as you have seen, Lady Tess," Celestine said. "We're all shocked by what happened."

"Shock will fade," Tess mused, glancing over at the Worgen then back down at her knife as she made even cuts to the root. "And I wish to be sure everyone is cared for still when that happens."

The worgen bowed her head in acceptance and Tess suppressed a grimace. It was bloody hard to have a conversation with anyone sometimes. At least with other Gilneans. Lorna was practically the only one who'd forgo the bowing and scraping and she'd thrown herself into officer training with the military. What remained of the military. Tess had considered it but both of her parents had flatly refused her the training Liam had received. She balled a fist and glared as tears burned unshed.

She missed her brother and she suspected she always would. Liam had been kind to her, the occasional thrown mud pie or surprise smoke bomb in her desk aside. But Liam was dead and Tess now stood to inherit in his place. And she didn't have the training or experience.

"It is interesting," Celestine said, breaking the silence and jostling Tess out of her thoughts. "The Night Elves have appeared to have lost some portion of their knowledge when it comes to the treatment of things we consider common," Celestine said, dropping her voice. "They were immortal and many of the complaints of age they have not had to deal with. Our alchemists are also a bit more efficient than theirs in some areas. We're able to make some trades."

"Good," Tess said with feeling. "And the druids? Are you being treated well? Being taught properly? Given the respect due a student?" she asked, getting back to the informal report she'd been receiving.

The worgen woman stopped what she was doing and dipped her head, smiling. "They are treating us very well, your highness."

"Tess," she said, rolling her eyes.

"They are, Lady Tess," Celestine allowed with a hint of a grin flashing her fine white fangs, her ears flicking in what Tess had come to learn was a gesture of amusement unconsciously picked up by nearly all the afflicted. "They are fascinated by what we learned on our own and have welcomed us genuinely."

"No concerns?" Tess asked as she began to slice the stems into a fine pile.

"Not with the druids. I think they have more concern for those among us who are not followers of Nature."

Tess's lips twisted in a small scowl but she nodded. "Let me know if they start to treat you poorly."

"Of course. You've done much to help us here. I am very appreciative."

"I got top marks in alchemy. Might as well use it." Since she'd been utterly useless elsewhere. "I was wondering," she said, looking askance at the druid.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I could learn?"

"To be a druid?"

Tess nodded. "That or perhaps a healer. I'm finding I am... Ill-equipped for this situation."

"I don't think any of us were quite prepared for any of this, Lady." Celestine set her knife down and bowed at the waist. "I would be pleased to teach what I know or to pass you onto those who have been teaching me, Lady Tess."

Tess set her knife down as well. She nodded once. "Right. Let's try this then."


End file.
